Gorbachev’s marriage, like his politics, broke the mold

By JULIA RUBIN
Associated Press

Mikhail Gorbachev has been buried at a Moscow cemetery where he’s once again next to his wife Raisa. The two had shared the world stage for more than a decade in a visibly close marriage that was unprecedented for a Soviet leader. Gorbachev’s public devotion to his family broke the stuffy mold of his predecessors just as his openness to political reform did. He kept Raisa’s memory alive in later years and embraced his status as a lonely widower. Raisa Gorbachev was more visible than previous Soviet first ladies. She had a direct way of speaking, a polished manner and wore fashionable clothes. She accompanied him on his travels and they discussed policy and politics together.